kab21 wrote:great idea. In 5 days the wild card teams would play and travel 3 times with no days off. And let's not forget that most of these games are played in prime time (late at night).

play and travel (game 162), play and travel (gm 1), play, play and travel, play

You can remedy this by having the teams play a in a neutral stadium- the stadium that is closest between where both teams currently are. And then you can do a double header for the first day, and play another game on day 2 (if necessary). This would give the winning wild card team at least 1-2 days off. MLB can set the regular season to end on a Friday, so this series can be played over the weekend when everyone can watch all 3 games. No need for prime time games in that scenario.

kab21 wrote:great idea. In 5 days the wild card teams would play and travel 3 times with no days off. And let's not forget that most of these games are played in prime time (late at night).

play and travel (game 162), play and travel (gm 1), play, play and travel, play

You can remedy this by having the teams play a in a neutral stadium- the stadium that is closest between where both teams currently are. And then you can do a double header for the first day, and play another game on day 2 (if necessary). This would give the winning wild card team at least 1-2 days off. MLB can set the regular season to end on a Friday, so this series can be played over the weekend when everyone can watch all 3 games. No need for prime time games in that scenario.

You'll have a hard time convincing teams to do this and forgo all the playoff revenue they generate in their city with home playoff games.

kab21 wrote:great idea. In 5 days the wild card teams would play and travel 3 times with no days off. And let's not forget that most of these games are played in prime time (late at night).

play and travel (game 162), play and travel (gm 1), play, play and travel, play

You can remedy this by having the teams play a in a neutral stadium- the stadium that is closest between where both teams currently are. And then you can do a double header for the first day, and play another game on day 2 (if necessary). This would give the winning wild card team at least 1-2 days off. MLB can set the regular season to end on a Friday, so this series can be played over the weekend when everyone can watch all 3 games. No need for prime time games in that scenario.

You'll have a hard time convincing teams to do this and forgo all the playoff revenue they generate in their city with home playoff games.

That is a good point, but would a one game series generate more money than two to three games at a neutral park? I know said city would generate more money with 1 game at home, but would that trump an extra 1-2 games of playoff TV revenue (plus attendance at whichever stadium is chosen)? Obviously a 1 game series in Boston or New York would generate WAY more, but on the flip side a single home playoff game at Tampa might not even sell out.

Or could they go with a 3 game series at home for the better wild card team? Possibly even 2 at home (better record team) and the 3rd, if necessary, away (worse record team). Seeing as how about half the time there is one stand alone team that wins the wild card by a large margin. There should be some benefit to being 5+ games up on the next best team. And IMO a 1 game series, at your home park, is not enough of an advantage.

Urban Cohorts wrote:You can remedy this by having the teams play a in a neutral stadium- the stadium that is closest between where both teams currently are. And then you can do a double header for the first day, and play another game on day 2 (if necessary). This would give the winning wild card team at least 1-2 days off. MLB can set the regular season to end on a Friday, so this series can be played over the weekend when everyone can watch all 3 games. No need for prime time games in that scenario.

You'll have a hard time convincing teams to do this and forgo all the playoff revenue they generate in their city with home playoff games.

That is a good point, but would a one game series generate more money than two to three games at a neutral park? I know said city would generate more money with 1 game at home, but would that trump an extra 1-2 games of playoff TV revenue (plus attendance at whichever stadium is chosen)? Obviously a 1 game series in Boston or New York would generate WAY more, but on the flip side a single home playoff game at Tampa might not even sell out.

Or could they go with a 3 game series at home for the better wild card team? Possibly even 2 at home (better record team) and the 3rd, if necessary, away (worse record team). Seeing as how about half the time there is one stand alone team that wins the wild card by a large margin. There should be some benefit to being 5+ games up on the next best team. And IMO a 1 game series, at your home park, is not enough of an advantage.

Unfortunately that's not what matters, true as it may be. What matters is that it's good television and drama -- something that may get people to actually tune in and talk about baseball. The last few times there's been any real hype or buzz around baseball that I can recall were the final day of the 2011 season over two single games that decided the fate of several teams, and the one game playoff from two or three years ago that was one ugly baseball game but fun and exciting as hell to watch. It's exciting to have fate decided on a single game. It's dramatic. It's worth watching. "No one knows what it means, but it's provocative... it gets the people goin'!!" Nobody cares if it's fair. Hell, I don't even care if it's fair. I'm all for anything that might actually get me to tune into fall baseball as a fan of a team who is rarely an active participant.

bigh0rt wrote:Unfortunately that's not what matters, true as it may be. What matters is that it's good television and drama -- something that may get people to actually tune in and talk about baseball. The last few times there's been any real hype or buzz around baseball that I can recall were the final day of the 2011 season over two single games that decided the fate of several teams, and the one game playoff from two or three years ago that was one ugly baseball game but fun and exciting as hell to watch. It's exciting to have fate decided on a single game. It's dramatic. It's worth watching. "No one knows what it means, but it's provocative... it gets the people goin'!!" Nobody cares if it's fair. Hell, I don't even care if it's fair. I'm all for anything that might actually get me to tune into fall baseball as a fan of a team who is rarely an active participant.

Well sir, I think you have made me reconsider my stance. I still don't like it and I think it is completely unfair, but the points you made I cannot dispute.

I will say this- If the Yankees get the first wild card spot and end up having to play a team that finishes 7+ games behind them, and the Yankees lose, I will be PISSED OFF. And this comes from a Red Sox fan. Nothing makes me happier than watching the Yankees lose, but I would only have limited joy in seeing them outed in this fashion.